My brother had awaken me, we had arrived back in Ohio. I had began to erase all of the scars that had I had gotten in Chicago, and from Bliss. "Home sweet home," I sighed as he put the car in park.
"Home sweet home," he smiled hopefully.
I figured, I had saved up in total seven grand and some change from my escapades in Chi-town. That would last me a while especially since I was getting enrolled back in school and would find a little part time job just to keep me busy. I had a plan, I would enroll back in school, get my permit then my driver's license, get a part time job, and then buy me a car.
I walked into my house, it was silent the smell of my mothers homemade Alfredo pasta filled the air. Since when wasn't she working? I said to myself. "Maaaaaaaa," I sang softly.
She greeted me with tears in her eyes, nas if she had Missed my entire childhood. "Oh, Tajai." She embraced my presence.
"Hi ma!" I smiled. She was so gentle with me as if she was waiting for me to wither away like dust.
"What took you so long to come home?" She asked.
"I was scared," I said honestly. "I didn't think you would ever look at me the same."
"No matter what you do, I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you now, you beat this. And now I'm behind you all the way in reconstructing what was broken."
I spend the whole night chasing my sister around the house, and getting reacquainted with my family. I found my way to my room that was just as I left it, which still felt unfamiliar to me. I couldn't even sleep, I decided I would go pay a visit to JoJo, I know she didn't know I was back in town. I wanted to see her before I seen everyone in school and before it got too weird.
I knocked on her door, and JoJo appeared. Her hair was longer, her hips a little wider, but a smile was missing from her beautiful face. "What's up Jo?" I said smiling.
"I'm not allowed to talk to you," she said folding her arms.
"Why not?" I scoffed.
"Because my mom thinks your too fast for me." She said with a smirk.
"So that's how it is, we been best friends since forever." I rolled my eyes.
"Was," she paused. "You think about me when you ran off to go live with some man a hundred miles a way. Why should I be considered of your feelings?" She said tearing up. "Not a text, a call, a thank you! She paused. "I thought you were dead, doll. Nobody knew what happened to you." She said sniffling.
"I'm sorry, Jo." I replied with my head hung low. She was right , I didn't think about anyone but myself when I left. "I really am, you know I wouldn't do it on purpose." I paused. "Come by my house tomorrow, I got so much to show you and tell you." I said pulling her into a hug.
"Okay," she hugged me. "Can I bring Monty?" She asked. "Hes been my best friend since you left."
"Yeah,"' I said smacking my teeth.
I had made my way home and began unpacking. I had so many clothes that girls my age would never wear. It was almost sickening.
Last night, I kept having the same dream over and over again. I would wake up and go back sleep still dreaming the same dream. Bliss would be holding a gun to my head as I am on my knees begging for my life.
I finally got the hint around seven that I wasn't going back to sleep. I decided to get up, shower, and throw something on to wear. I settled with a black polo t-shirt, Black Nike leggings, and some white toms. I threw my hair in a ponytail applied lipgloss: I was ready for my day. I had a few things that I wanted to do today before meeting up with JoJo. I wanted to get my number changed, pick up a few things from the mall, and make my way around the city. I was going to accomplish this all on foot; Walking was another thing I was going to have to get used to.
I left the house around nine, not waking anyone. My Chanel Bag was heavy filled with seven thousand dollars, a fake driver license I had acquired from bliss, Lip gloss and my cellphone. As I was walking to the bus stop, I noticed a for sale sign on the top of a Black Monte' Carlo with tinted windows and rims. It was an older car but it had style and It would keep me from walking everyday. I went up to the house and knocked on the door. An older woman answered, She was about my height, my build, but she hand long gray hair that hug beneath her shoulders and a few freckles that splashed across her face.
"How much for the Monte Carlo?" I asked her.
"You don't even look old enough to drive," She chuckled. I grinned and showed her the fake Chicago driver license.
"I just moved here from out of town and I guess it would beat walking." I laughed.
"Well, nothing is wrong with it." She said. "It was my son's first car," she stated. "He's not around anymore, and I don't have any grandkids" She told me.
"Well, how much you want for it?" I asked for me.
"Well, two grand and drop by visits to let me know you're keeping it in good shape." she said with a smile.
"Well here's two grand," I quickly pulled out two stacks from my backpack. "Can you give me a couple of months to switch the paperwork into my name. I can give you money for the insurance every month." I insisted. "I promise."
"Okay, just for a few months, since you look like a sweet gurl, you come back and you visit Mrs. Gates, okay? " She said handing me the keys as I nodded.
See, I don't know how people do business around the world, but if it's one thing I learned from Bliss, money talks.
we had a verbal agreement and she had me sign a few papers she had typed up, and I had taken the car. I stopped at the gas station and grabbed a few rillo's and made my way to the mall. I needed to change my number and School was monday. I had to get some age appropriate clothing. I grabbed a few things in Macy's, Dillard's, Buckle, and then made my way to Sneakervilla; I had become a professional in heel's, but I always still managed to keep up with the Sneaker Releases. I had every pair of foamposites that dropped and I was slowly building my Jordan collection. "Who ever you shopping for must be a lucky dude." I heard someone say.
"I'm shoppin' for myself." I said smiling. I sized him up and analyzed every inch of his appearance. He was tall, around six foot. Milk Chocolate with curls peaking from beneath his Designer cap. He was solid, and I could see tattoo's peaking from the collar of his Rock Revival T-shirt. His jeans were Rock Revival as well and were steamed and cuffed perfectly over his White out Foamposites.
"Shoppin' for yourself, your man should be treating you." He grinned. His small was perfect except for a small gap between his two top front teeth.
"I don't have a man, don't need one, don't want one."
"What about a friend, everybody need a friend?" He told me.
"I don't need any of those either," I chuckled.
"Damn," He said, sizing me up trying to figure me out from my body language.
"You must have kids," He chuckled. "Ya'll young mother's be so mean." He said joking. My demeanor changed taking me back to when I had my abortion, I b.roke a little.
"No, no kids." I mumbled. "can you just take the hint please," I asked him.
"No," He paused. "You look like you been hurt before, I just wanted to see what was behind that beautiful face. I know underneath all those curls you probably got a story to tell." He said simply. "But, I get it my apologies,"
"How old are you?" I squinted, not accepting or rejection his apology.
"Eighteen," He paused.
"I'm only sixteen," I said. It felt good to finally tell the complete truth about my age.
"Well, I just turned eighteen." He said smirking. "Can we smoke, get something to eat, can I get to know you?" He asked me.
It was evident that as much as I've been through, the last thing I needed was getting to know someone knew because I was still healing from the trauma I had gotten myself into with Bliss. But, I needed a new friend. "Sure," I hesitated. "I'm Doll," I told him.
"Chav," He said. "It's short for Chaviere," He said looking into my eyes and licking his lips.
Hopefully, I wouldn't regret this.
After exchanging numbers with Chaviere, I made my way home to find both Monty sitting on the edge of my bed and Jojo snooping through my stuff. She had picked up a blue one revealing one piece I had never gotten to wear when I was working at the club. "Damn, Doll." She paused looking back at me and chuckling. "I can't believe you actually stripped, like forreal." Her eyes grew wide.
"So, what." I rolled my eyes. "It's in the past, I'm getting rid of all that stuff anyways." I snatched it out of her hands and threw it on the bed.
"You can't!" She said. "I personally, was proud of you for leaving no way I would be able to deal with having a big brother." She chuckled. "I can barely deal with having a boyfriend." She said looking at Monty who had yet to say anything to me.
"You do know your in my house, you can speak." I said folding my arms.
"I've been here a million times, Tajai." He said in a dry sarcastic tone.
"You don't have to feel uncomfortable, I'm totally cool with you guys being together." I smiled sweetly.
"I bet," Monty said underneath his breath.
I smacked my teeth, and directed my attention back to JoJo. I swear, I missed her. Candy was my girl but JoJo was the only white girl who had my heart, she was the perfect best friend. I spent hours talking about my time in Chicago and she spent hours shopping in my clothes. I missed this, I was starting to feel like teenager again.